I can't believe all you HS30 owners neglected to mention how awful the zoom action is. You need two fingers and a thumb to try and move it, not that you can use two fingers and a thumb as the flash protrudes all the way across the manual focus ring and across 50% of the zoom ring leaving less than a fingers width that you can actually use. It will be interesting to see if it loosens up with use although I think you will need sandpaper and a can of WD40 to get this thing moving smoothly.

Joms, you're not helping anyone with statements like the one you made the other day saying the zoom feels no different to that on the X-S1.

I will do a few comparisons over the next few days (weather permitting) but I can say right now that the total lack of feel/feedback and coarseness of the zoom has made this a camera I would not want to use. In fact it's so bad I would choose an electronic zoom over it any day of the week.

Paul.

The zoom action of my HS30 is as smooth as you cannot imagine. It's perfect. More than perfect. Can't be better. It is the best zoom I ever had. How can Fuji put such quality parts in a camera for such a low price? Thank you Fuji.

Peter

Hmmmmmmmmm,

when brand new my XS1's zoom action was much smoother than that of a brand new HS30 I tested, my used XS1's zoom action is just about the same as when new (of course I shimmed mine to fend off the droops...this was the best way to put some lead in the pencil... and that tightened it up a bit more, )...can't ell you what the HS30's is like.

There is a mechanical difference in their actions but I would not say the HS30's was bad...just not as good as .......mine!

wj

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nikonfujiandricoh

I must have handled at lest 10 different copies of HS30/25 at different shows and in stores, about half of them had reasonably smooth zoom action, other half was sticking at some point (usually around 50-100 mm mark) to the various degrees. Some of them will smooth out during use, some will not, but overall assembly consistency is not that great.